


Coming around to the idea

by daisyjo



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Doctor Will Solace, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nico di Angelo Needs a Hug, Will Solace is a Ball of Sunshine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24034519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisyjo/pseuds/daisyjo
Summary: Nico thought about telling Will about the jar and the pomegranate; that would be useful information regarding Nico’s health and ‘eating habits,’ but that would involve telling Will so much more. That would mean telling Will about Tartarus and talking, and even thinking, about Tartarus was not something Nico wanted. Nico did not want Will to look at him with pity in his eyes and Nico did not want to have to relive that time in his conscious time, it already invaded his sleep. Anyway, Will wanted Nico to calm down and relax, and talking about Tartarus would not do that, so he is really just following the doctor’s orders by not talking.Basically another 3 days in the infirmary fic because who can have enough of those?
Relationships: Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 4
Kudos: 82





	Coming around to the idea

As Nico walked back to where Will was standing, he did not know what to feel. Most notable, he felt relief, but also some grief. There had been one thing in his life that drove so many of his actions: his crush on Percy Jackson. Now that part of him was dead, but with that came unknown freedom that Nico did not know what to do with. As the pair walked towards the Big House Will filled the space with his slight Southern lilt. 

“So, sunshine, since I wasn’t head medic when you first arrived at camp a few years ago, I don’t actually know if the infirmary has any of your info on file. I can see if I can find your file unless you know you’ve never been to see us.”

“I don’t think so,” Nico said after a moment of thought. He’d only been at Camp Halfblood a few weeks before he had left again and, since then, he’d never spent an extended amount of time at the camp. Even when he was at camp, Nico did not want to go to the infirmary; the young boy preferred dealing with his own problems all by himself, thank you. He didn’t even think it was necessary to go to the infirmary now, but Will had insisted. 

“I’m not too surprised. You first came to camp over the school year, right?” Will looked at Nico until he saw a slight nod. “Yeah, not too many campers need the infirmary when it’s not summertime, so medics are slower to do intake. Although, after two wars in as many years, I think I’m going to make intake a priority. Wounded demigods can’t always answer questions necessary for medics to do their jobs and, well, you’ve been in battles. You never know who might have the answers and even if they are able to provide them.”

Nico was only half paying attention to Will’s words. Though he would never admit it, Nico was far too distracted with studying the medic’s face to listen to him ramble about intake forms.

The Big House was built into a hill and, if approached from the downhill, the basement of the farmhouse had an exterior doom accessible from ground level. The sliding glass door was flanked by large windows stretching from the floor of the basement to the top of the door. Though the glass Nico could see the infirmary for the first time. On one side of the door there was a desk that Nico assumed served as a check in table and nurse’s station. To the other side was a small waiting area with a few chairs. Past the desk and chairs were cots lining the walls, about a dozen in total, with sheets hanging from the ceiling that could be pulled back to provide some privacy. Will lead Nico inside and stopped at the nurse’s station to talk to the blonde sitting on the other side. 

“Hey Kayla, how’re doing?” He asked. 

“Okay, are you doing better now that you’ve actually ate something?”

“Absolutely amazing,” Will responded with a smile on his face. “So, Nico here has never been to the infirmary, so I’m going to take him into the office and give him a quick checkup and complete the intake survey with him. You going to be okay holding down the fort for a little longer?”

“I’m not completely incompetent, Will. I promise the world won’t end while you aren’t here.” He stuck his tongue out at here and continued to the back of the room.  
The infirmary was unsettling to Nico. It was bright and colorful. There was a painted mural behind a few of the beds depicting some cartoonish demigods fighting a spectacularly colorful chimera. The smell of antiseptic mixed with herbs invaded Nico’s nose and he just wanted to go back to his cabin. The slight adrenaline rush from confessing to Percy was just wearing of and Nico was reminded again of how little he had been sleeping. Will opened a door that lead into what Nico assumed was the office. 

One wall of the office was populated by an examination table. Next to the table was a counter and sink with cabinets attached to the wall. Another curtain was attached to the ceiling of the office separating the examination area from a desk, a few chairs, an overflowing bookshelf, and a filing cabinet. The curtain was pulled back allowing Nico to see the entire room at once. Will flicked a light switch making the room, which had large, uncovered windows, even brighter.

“Alrighty, death boy, hop on up,” Will said as he patted the examination table. Nico was hesitant but remembered that the sooner this exam was over the sooner he could go to bed. Will walked over to the filing cabinet and opened the top drawer. After rifling through the contents for a few moments he apparently found what he was looking for. The medic took out a few pieces of paper and attached them to a clipboard sitting on top of the cabinet. He walked back over to Nico, grabbing a pen from his shorts’ pocket, and sat down on a stool beside the examination table. 

“Okey-doke, I’m going to start out with some quick questions. It is in your best interest that you answer correctly. I’m not going to go around telling people what you tell me. Sure, the camp isn’t under HIPPA jurisdiction, but I will do everything in my power to uphold doctor-patient confidentiality. The only exceptions are if you or someone else is in danger. And, of course, I may tell Chiron or other medics information, but only minimally and only to ensure your safety. Sounds good?”

Will talked really fast. Nico’s tired brain had some trouble keeping up with the blonde’s words but he nodded when Will paused and looked at him. 

“With that out of the way, what is your name?”

“Nico diAngelo.”

“And your birthdate?”

“January 28th, 1932.”

“Nico, I know you are a private person, but this info is pretty important.” Will looked at Nico with the slightest amount of exasperation lacing his words.

“Why would I lie about my birthday? We’re demigods, this can’t be the weirdest thing you’ve seen,” Nico retorted, getting defensive. Will had told him to tell the truth and he was. It wasn’t his fault that he was displaced in time. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Will conceded in a slightly placating tone. “Sorry for my surprise, it’s just that you look remarkably good for someone in their late eighties.” Nico did not know why that comment made the skeletal butterflies return. “So, how old would you say you are, if you had to guess?”

“Um, maybe fourteen or fifteen.”

“Looks about right. Wait, if you were born pre-WWII, do you have all our vaccinations?”

“I honestly don’t know.” Will made a note of that on a second piece of paper and continued with the intake survey. 

“Any allergies?” No. “Family?” Only Hazel and his dad. This continued for a few minutes. Will then took the paper he was writing on and placed it on the desk. 

“Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I’d like to move onto normal checkup stuff. So, would you take off your shoes and come stand over here?” Will then took Nico’s height and weight, frowning slightly as he recorded the numbers. 

“Okay, you can sit back down.” Will waited for Nico to get re-situated on the exam table. “Now, could I please see your hand? It’s the easiest way for me to take vitals.” Nico really didn’t want to let anyone touch him, but the stern yet kind look on Will’s face persuaded Nico to give him is hand. The blond placed two warm fingers on Nico’s wrist and closed his eyes. After a few moments of silence Will opened his eyes and began writing things on the paper on his clipboard. 

“What the heck happened to your arm?” Will asked, “I can normally sense when something is wrong with the body on touch and, gods above, your arm did not feel good.” Will sounded a little shocked and worried, but he still appeared quite calm. “Would you take of that… shirt so I can have a look at cha'?” 

Nico was confused by the hesitation in Will’s voice when mentioning Nico’s shirt, but then he looked down at the Hawaiian print monstrosity and felt the blood rush to his face. “Sorry, it’s the- it’s the only one I have right now,” Nico mumbled. At that Will smiled and responded “I’m sure we can find you something more appropriate soon. Now, can you show me your arm” 

Nico unbuttoned the shirt and shrugged it off. As the fabric caused friction against the scratches Nico had to fight back a wince. The cuts were not healing correctly. 

“Dear gods, what happened?” Will exclaimed, maybe a little too loud. Nico seemed to fold into himself and mumbled “werewolf scratch.” 

“‘Werewolf scratch’ he says like it’s nothing,” Will mocked, but worry masked any attempt at humor. The healer opened a cabinet and pulls out some supplies. He began to meticulously remove the sutures from Nico’s arm. Nico felt blood rush to his cheeks whenever Wills warm hands made contact with his arm. 

After removing the sutures Will began to clean the wound. “I’m sorry hon, but this is going to hurt a bit. Gleason Hedge mentioned that you were more receptive to unicorn horn draft, so I am using it to clean the cuts. Unfortunately, it hurts more than ambrosia, but I should be quick.”

Nico decided that, yes, this process did likely sting more than ambrosia, but the boy was so distracted by everything going on in his head, not to mention the soft touches of the healer as he cleaned the wound, that Nico did not mind. If anything, the sharp pain was grounding. 

After redoing Reyna’s stitches, Will sat back on his stool and began writing on the clipboard. 

“Alrighty Deadhead, here’s what we know: you are worryingly underweight, at risk of disappearing into the shadows at any moment, and probably still running on adrenaline and a prayer. Did I miss anything?”

“Werewolf scratches.”

“Of course, you have deep lacerations on you arm that may be at risk of infection because you did seek medical help for at least a week.” Nico looked down, not wanting to make eye contact. Seeing that the other boy was properly admonished, Will moved on. 

“I believe that the best thing for you is a little R&R. Hopefully spending a few nights here will help remind you body that it’s not in a life or death situation. That also means a healer can check up on your arm every few hours to make sure it heals properly. We can’t really do anything about the shadows because we aren’t sure what’s causing it besides your powers, so, until further notice, no underworldly stuff, got it?” 

Will leveled a look at Nico and the other boy suddenly felt shy. He opened his mouth to protest, but something made him close it again, maybe the confident, almost commanding tone that Wills voice took on when he talked about medicine. Either way, Nico decided that he had nothing to lose so he might as well listen to Will. The healer was just trying to do his job.

“Good. Also, I think we are going to have to talk about your eating habits. That an maybe start monitoring your meals.” 

Nico thought about telling Will about the jar and the pomegranate; that would be useful information regarding Nico’s health and ‘eating habits,’ but that would involve telling Will so much more. That would mean telling Will about Tartarus and talking, and even thinking, about Tartarus was not something Nico wanted. Nico did not want Will to look at him with pity in his eyes and Nico did not want to have to relive that time in his conscious time, it already invaded his sleep. Anyway, Will wanted Nico to calm down and relax, and talking about Tartarus would not do that, so he is really just following the doctor’s orders by not talking.


End file.
